A Royal Marine Commando who murdered a Taleban captive in Afghanistan was named today as Sergeant Alexander Blackman after a ruling by the High Court.

Now a convicted murderer, Blackman was a highly experienced serviceman aged 39 by the time of his court martial. Prior to his arrest he had a spotless disciplinary record and was being considered for promotion to Colour Sergeant.

He had completed three tours in Iraq, two in Afghanistan and one in Northern Ireland since joining the armed forces in 1998.

Lawyers had fought to retain an anonymity order for the Marine, arguing that identifying could